Local bond issues prove a hit at polls

Voters were undaunted Tuesday by $1.3 billion in proposed bond issues that Houston and Harris County want to use for new roads, parks, police and fire facilities and an array of other improvements.

Neither bond proposal -- $776 million for the city and $535 million for the county -- faced organized opposition. All eight referendums won with majorities of between 58 percent and nearly 80 percent. Most of the city bond issues won by wider margins than the county issues.

County Judge Robert Eckels said the numbers send a clear message to local leaders: Work together on traffic congestion, mobility and other quality-of-life issues.

"I think now the voters have said, `You told us what you can do, and we've told you what you can do. Now do it,' " Eckels said. "It falls upon us to get this job done, and it falls on us to get the roads and highways and transit systems working together to get the Houston region moving."

"I think what they (voters) are saying is they want these issues addressed and they're willing to step forward and make certain that happens," he said. "Voters are willing to make certain we get roads pushed forward and taken care of, along with the other quality-of-life issues."

The city's proposal divides the $776 million in bonds among six projects: $474 million for streets, bridges, traffic control, and drainage improvements; $82 million for police and fire facilities; $80 million for parks and recreation; $80 million for general improvements; $40 million for libraries; and $20 million for housing.

The county's bond issue consists of $475 million for roads and $60 million for parks.

In the city's case, the bond issue was more than originally proposed. For the county, it was smaller than the original proposal.

Commissioners Court has vowed it will not seek an increase in property taxes to pay off debt incurred with the bonds. While not matching the county's promise, city officials have said they have no plans to increase the tax rate to cover the bond debt.

Mayor Lee Brown originally pitched a $655 million bond package along with a five-year capital improvement plan. At the urging of the partnership, which advised Brown on the issue, City Council boosted the package by $121 million.

Despite the massive numbers, officials argued that both bond issues were vital to keep pace with population growth and the demands on infrastructure and services.

They argued the bonds would be important tools for fighting traffic congestion.

Eckels has said passage of both packages would help the city, the county and other government agencies working on a joint mobility plan.

If one package failed, Eckels said, the entire plan could suffer.

Road bonds in the county are divided, in part, based on the four precincts' road mileage. With passage of Tuesday's bond issue, commissioners will have more than $750 million for area road projects in the next five years -- including money from other agencies, such as the Metropolitan Transit Authority and the Harris County Toll Road Authority.

All told, Commissioner El Franco Lee will have $127 million for road construction in his precinct; Jim Fonteno will have $143 million; Steve Radack will have $210 million; and Jerry Eversole will have $270 million.

The $60 million for county parks will be divided evenly among the four precincts.